But she told police she turned to crime after running into “financial difficulty” and couldn’t feed herself – despite her cushy salary as an ICT specialist.

A disciplinary hearing was told she left self-service check-outs at the store in Aberdare without paying on at least four occasions – taking food worth more than £80.

Melinka Berridge, the presenting officer at the disciplinary hearing, said: "She would bag up items, offer a card payment, but then take out the card before the payment was taken."

WNS

PARTY GIRL: Hunter-Brown likes to party – every night

But Hunter-Brown – who was given a conditional caution after admitting theft - told the Education Workforce Council hearing in Cardiff it was an innocent mistake and she lied to cops as she was too busy for a court hearing.

The educator said: "It was a mistake not to check that the payments had gone through.

“It was the result of personal stress in my life.”

Committee member Kelly Murphy scoffed: "How is it you specialise in ICT but don't know how to use a self service till in Asda?"

She has been allowed to keep her job at Cefn Primary School in Glyncoch, Pontypridd, but a “reprimand” will stay on her record for two years.